“We are the music-makers,
And we are the dreamers of dreams,
Wandering by lone sea-breakers,
And sitting by desolate streams.
World-losers and world-forsakers,
Upon whom the pale moon gleams;
Yet we are the movers and shakers,
Of the world forever, it seems.”

— Arthur O’Shaughnessy

This melancholy poem was once the outlook that I had on life, particularly in my own. The nomadic spirit that the Lord has placed on me can occasionally be confused with alienation, isolation, loneliness and a general sense of not belonging anywhere, that is, if perceived through a worldly or non-biblical perspective. It can lead to sadness, depression, self-pity, rejection, and a whole host of other ungodly emotions!

At times, there is this assumption or idea that there is a great cost to being a Mover of the earth and a Shaker of the world. But the more time I spent with my Maker, the more I realized that I was not called to move the earth and shake the world, but He has called me to move His heart. And of course, shaking the earth just so happens to be a natural (or should I say supernatural) by-product of moving His heart. While this life is not promised to be comfortable, it IS filled with the promise of His abundant love and the love of His people. One thing I’ve learned from world-traveling, is not that I am alone, but that I am in the largest family known to man-kind! Every where I move or go, He is there and so is His body! It is supernatural + phenomenal.

Speaking of moving…. guess what? I’m moving to AUSTRALIA! I know, eh! What?! Haha! Yep, you see, it is a long story. Let’s start where I last left off! In case you missed that, head over to the post titled ‘Surprise’.

–> https://consecratedbygrace.wordpress.com/2013/03/18/surprise-d/

Sooo, here goes!

Back in May of 2013, my church offered me a position on their staff. At that time, I had been home for two months and had watched and waited for something. Anything really. It’s very weird for me not to be doing stuff. Lots of stuff. Which, in itself was a lesson straight from the Lord! He started teaching me to live extraordinary in the ordinary. To live loud in the silence. Phewie, that’s a hard one, and boy, am I still learning!

So anyway, back to my church, I accepted the job offer in May and became a temporary Youth Pastor to eight of the coolest kids around. Now, when I said yes, I never ever in a million years saw myself doing the youth pastor thing. I’m not sure why, it was just never on my radar! But I wouldn’t trade these past eight months for anything. I fell in love with my kids! I’ve watched them grow in the Lord, with each other, and in hunger; it’s been awesome. I even got them making music! When we started, there were only two confident musicians. We now have a solid team of two guitars, a piano, a keyboard, an ukelele, a drummer and some nice vocalists! They sound amazing! Honestly, when we started I wasn’t very optimistic, bahaha!

Some of the youth and I at a local outreach! 🙂

I’ve also been in charge of the worship ministry at the church. I’ve done all the logistics, creativity, encouraging, mentoring, facilitating, and communicating. I’ve been able to witness the worship team expand, help leaders grow into their authority and freedom, and experience some beautiful moments with the Lord and our congregation! Watching our unity grow has been wonderful as well!

Tranquil Acres Camping

That same week I was offered the job at the church, I was approached by a woman who owns a trailer/rv camping grounds with her husband. They were getting on in their years and the physical labour was getting to be too much. She asked me if I would like to work for them. They would give me as many or little hours as I needed, and they’d work around my other commitments. They gave me a bike, as it was only about a 25 minute bike ride from my house. And I’d be working outside doing physical labour and the campgrounds were spectacular. Every single thing about this job was an answer to my prayers, and hers! Did I mention one of my prayers was that my bosses would love the Lord? What an answer! She is a mighty prayer warrior, and it often you’d find her lifting up her voice to the Lord! My favourite times were when we would get together and pray for the campground. Such a precious time of learning and being humbled by this woman’s faith! By the end of the season (there are so many crazy God stories involved with this!) all the campers (most were not Christians) were talking about how much joy and life I had and how I brought a smile to their hearts even on their worst day. Ha! I love how the Lord is so evident even when we don’t have a clue! I was just doing my thing, working away! It was like a puzzle and all the pieces were coming together. He is so faithful eh? When we wait on Him? It’s all in His timing! Back to Australia!

That same week as both job offers, I was looking around on different mission sites just for fun. Okay confession: I had the thought “So I’m single, 23 and can go anywhere in the world, literally…” And I ended up on the YWAM page! I randomly looked up “worship staff opportunities” because once you’ve done a DTS you could potentially staff at any of their bases, and there were about a billion different options. I clicked on several but nothing really made me actually interested… that is until I clicked on the YWAM Toowoomba link! Honestly, I had no idea where that even was. Turns out, it’s in Queensland, Australia!

Toowoomba!!

The base runs a Music & Worship Discipleship Training School (DTS). So I submitted a short form of interest to staff there, and was just expecting an automated response with the costs, commitment length etc. Instead, I got this remarkably long, personal email from the Base Director and his wife, explaining the history and heart of the base, their vision (matched up with my passions exactly), and their need for female staff! Especially those with worship leading experience. They answered most of my questions before I even asked them and they even offered to help with my flight there! WHAT! Almost unheard of! So I freaked out. Showed my parents, my church leadership and some friends. Everyone said, “Well Hannah this is pretty much you to a tee. Jesus. Worship. Travel. Disciple. Dance. Pray (they are in the midst of opening a House of Prayer). Music. Missions. Unreached People Groups. Australia. You will kick yourself if you do not consider this opportunity!” So I prayed and prayed, and so did my leadership and my parents etc. I got several confirmations, so I sent in my visa application (ANOTHER ONE! I will probably end up writing a book on visas for missionaries, haha) and waited! Oh! And not to mention, those jobs that the Lord set me up with enabled me to save a good chunk of the costs of going! Being on staff with YWAM is basically being a full-time missionary, and we have to raise our own support and such. I finished the campground job in November and heard from Immigration a couple of weeks after that, and it’s official! The Australian government granted me a 12 month visa! I am finishing up at the church the 5th, and I will be heading to Toowooomba on January 8th. My director even gave me an extra week because he found out both my sisters are due to have their babies within then next couple weeks! So awesome! Praise the Lord! So, I’ve got a billion other testimonies from these past 9 months being home. But needless to say, the Lord has been at work since day one. Even that day where I the U.S. sent me home and I had no idea what the future would hold! It was all a part of His plan… who knew that it would turn out THIS cool? I never ever thought I would go to Australia. And now, here I am, moving there.

If you are interested in more details of what my mission will actually look like, stay tuned for another post in the near future. Or email me at hannah.macuzzi@gmail.com